Now use this with caution since the bitter or burnt flavor can be quite strong if used with liberty. As a rule, make use of these grains with caution. The chocolate malt. This grain is similar malt and the only difference lies in the fact that this grain isn't processed that long. And as such, this doesn't carry the usual burnt flavor associated with the black malt. Home brewing took a drastic blow when in the 1800's, brewing was heavily taxed by the government in order for the commercial breweries to get more profit. Eventually, the Prohibition was enacted, causing all types of alcohol to get banned. Since then, home brewing was the only way for people to get their beer, and a risky endeavor at that. Did you know that around 4 to 6 liters of water is needed in order to produce just one liter of beer? This is how water-intensive the beer production is. This is not only the use of water in many breweries. Do expect water to be used in other production processes, for example water is also used in the mashing, the filtration and even the packaging of bottles of beer. However, the beer that we purchase from the store can take its toll on our wallets. The heavy tax imposed on our favorite beverage doesn't make it easier for us either. But if you want to cut costs without compromising the amount of beer you want to enjoy every weekend, then maybe you might want to try brewing your own beer at home. For the brewing materials, we will need a pot (can hold one galloon), a spatula or ladle, a 5 galloon fermentation pail, an airlock, a funnel, a big spoon with long handle, and a thermometer. All of these things are actually available in stores which supply ingredients for home brewing. After preparing those mentions above, we are now ready for the steps. Listed below are some of the well-documented mistakes by many first-timers in the field of beer making at home. One major mistake that is often reported concerns sanitation. Many upstart home brewers right now doesn't know a thing or two about sanitation. It should be remembered that the unfermented beer is packed with malt sugar- for this reason bacteria may breed on this.